Skin Disease Claim Payouts Guide (2026): How Much Compensation For Dermatitis And Eczema?

Q: How long do I have to make a skin disease claim?

Generally, you have 3 years from the date of injury or knowledge of injury to start a claim. However, commencement of this statutory limitation period could be from the date of commencement of symptoms, date of employment, date of diagnosis or when it was reasonable to have known.

Q: What are typical symptoms of occupational dermatitis?

Typical symptoms of occupational dermatitis include: itchiness, pain to your skin. You will typically see your skin turn red, blister, crack, swell, scale, flake or weep.

Q: Can I claim industrial injuries disablement benefit for work-related dermatitis?

Yes - you may have a claim for industrial injuries disablement benefit for disability caused by dermatitis. An IIDB claim is not subject to the same time periods as a claim made against an employer or former employer.

Compensation for skin disease claims affecting parts of the body other than the face typically ranges from around £2,000 to £24,000 in the UK. The exact sum depends on the severity of the condition, the length of time symptoms persist and the areas of the body affected. Conditions involving the hands often attract higher compensation due to their impact on work and daily activities.

This guide explains how skin disease compensation is calculated, with a focus on common conditions such as dermatitis and eczema. It starts with a clear, solicitor‑assessed payouts table, followed by more detailed explanations of how compensation amounts are determined in individual cases.

We also explain how to prove a skin disease claim, whether the condition developed through workplace exposure, as a self‑employed person or contractor, as a member of the public, or as a result of clinical negligence.

Finally, the guide answers real‑life questions from claimants and includes a frequently asked questions section covering typical dermatitis and eczema compensation concerns.

Table of Contents

Skin Disease Claim Payouts Guide (2026): How Much Compensation For Dermatitis And Eczema?

Payouts Table (2026) For Skin Disease Claims

Skin Disease Severity For Dermatitis / Eczema / Psoriasis	Claim Payouts
Temporarily affecting hands	£2,100 – £4,800
Moderate hand dermatitis	£10,500 – £14,000
Severe skin disease on hands	£16,800 – £23,400
Scalp dermatitis / eczema	£4,800 – £13,400
Facial skin disease	See facial scarring article

Skin Disease Claim Payouts Table

The above payout table describes different types of skin disease coupled with the corresponding payout range for pain and suffereing.

Read on for a more detailed description as to how these pan and suffering compensation figures are calculated.

Additional Compensation

In addition to compensation for pain and suffering – you can claim the financial loss and expense you experience as a direct result of injury.

What is a skin disease compensation claim?

“Skin diseases”, “skin disorders” or “skin conditions” take many different forms – some of which have completely natural causes.

Some types of skin condition, such as certain types of dermatitis, eczema or psoriasis, can be caused due to the fault or negligence of another.

If you can prove legal fault then you will be entitled to claim compensation from the person or business at fault – this is known as a “skin disease claim”.

EXAMPLE 1 : Workplace Skin Disease Claim

For example – imagine you suffer dermatitis from chemical exposure at work due to your employer’s negligence in failing to provide correct PPE..

So long as you are within the statutory time limit to claim and your solicitor can prove legal fault – you will be entitled to claim compensation from your employer (employer’s liability insurance).

Skin disease compensation will include money for your pain and suffering plus a sum for your financial loss and expense.

EXAMPLE 2: Dermatitis Caused Outside Of The Workplace

You may have suffered dermatitis in another setting outside of the workplace.

For example – a hairdresser’s incorrect use of bleach or other hair products on a customer, could cause you to develop dermatitis to your scalp or face.

Common Types of Dermatitis and Skin Conditions

The most common type of skin disease claims are for dermatitis. However, more rarely claims for eczema and psoriasis can be made.

Dermatitis From Chemical Exposure And Hereditary Causes

There are many different types of dermatitis. Some of which are hereditary and some of which can be caused by chemical exposure, which include:

Contact dermatitis

Contact dermatitis is a type of eczema caused when your skin becomes red, itchy and burns due to contact with an allergen or irritant. For instance – exposure in the workplace to a chemical allergen or dust irritant. The eczema occurs at the places on your skin where contact with the irritant occurs (such as – your hands)..

Allergic contact dermatitis

Whereas, allergic contact dermatitis skin disease claim is caused when your immune system reacts to a substance or chemical which is perceived as bad or foreign. Your body reacts to fight it off and this causes a similar condition to contact dermatitis accept the skin tends to weep at the point of contact with the chemical.

Examples of allergens can include:

Certain wood dusts, Mostly tropical hardwoods. For example – mahogany, rose woods.
Adhesives. For example – false eyelash adhesive.
Inks. For example – exposure by professional print workers.
Metals. Nickel can cause allergic contact dermatitis.
Hair dyes. Certain types of hair dye can be an allergen.
Plants. Certain types of plant, such as florists handling chrysanthemums or gardeners touching poison ivy.

Irritant contact dermatitis

Exposure to strong irritants can cause irritant contact dermatitis to develop quickly. Alternatively, you may be exposed to milder irritants over a long period of time. An irritant can take many forms. for example – it might be biological or chemical.

Irritants can include:

Dusts – for example, coal dust, wood dust, etc.
Wet cement – for example, exposure by builders and construction workers.
Solvents – such as, alcohol, acrylonitrile, floor cleaners.
Oils, greases and lubricants. For example – consider engine oils, degreasing agents,
Detergents, soaps and shampoos. Consider hairdressers exposed for extended periods.
Acids and alkalis.
Some types of foods. For example, raw onions, garlic, chillies.
Excessive water exposure, Having wet hands for long periods of time can cause irritant dermatitis.

Neuro dermatitis

Neuro dermatitis is a type of eczema which causes you to scratch and pick off the skin leaving marks on your skin and scabs.

Nummular dermatitis

Nummular dermatitis is a type of eczema which leaves coin shapes on the part of the body it affects. The cause in not fully known.

construction worker industrial dermatitis compensation claim — Construction Worker Industrial Dermatitis Compensation Claim

Seborrhoeic dermatitis

Seborrhoeic dermatitis is a type of eczema affecting the skin of your face and scalp – the cause is unknown.

Atopic dermatitis

Atopic dermatitis is primarily a hereditary condition. Generally it is associated with three conditions on the same person. These conditions being: eczema, asthma and allergies.

Jobs Most Commonly Linked to Dermatitis and Skin Disease

The types of jobs that can lead to a skin disease claim are many, However, common to each is typically an exposure to chemicals, dusts other irritants or allergens.

Your employer should therefore protect you from having skin exposure to such chemicals. For example – your employer could provide you with correct PPE and training of how to use the PPE.

Should you develop dermatitis or eczema as a result of a failure to supply suitable PPE – your solicitor will generally have sufficient evidence to prove employer negligence / legal fault.

Examples of working environments, include:

Factory workers

When you work in a factory you may be exposed to all manner of dusts and chemicals (depending on the nature of the factory work). For example – animal products in an abattoir or chemicals in perfume factory.

Construction workers and builders

Working in contraction? You will be aware of the vast array of potential hazards that your skin can be exposed to. This may range from wet cement exposure to excessive brick dust.

Florists

Florists can be exposed to many chemicals. For example -pesticide residues when handling flowers.

Furthermore – there are certain types of plant that are known to have allergens, such as chrysanthemums.

Hairdressers

Working as a hairdresser or in a hair salon? You will be required to deal with all manner of bleaches and dyes. It is essential proper training of the risks and PPE is provided to prevent skin conditions developing.

Chemical plant workers

Workers in a chemical plant you can be exposed to very caustic chemicals.

Modest Exposure To Dust

Contact dermatitis and eczema skin disease can be caused by relatively modest exposure to certain strong acids and alkalis.

Garage mechanics

Exposure to dirty engine oil can be cause of a skin disease claim for contact dermatitis. In addition, dirty engine oil exposure can cause cancer.

“Yes”- there are a number of other ways dermatitis might be caused outside of the work setting that can give rise to a claim for compensation.

Scalp dermatitis from hair salon negligence

Hair salons are typical settings that you may experience dermatitis of the scalp. For example – the incorrect use of hair products or bleach (without first doing a patch test).

See our hair damage claim article setting out the amounts of compensation for hair and scalp injury.

Medical error causing skin disease

You may develop dermatitis as a result of medical negligence.

For example – you might receive an incorrect prescription or medical treatment, which causes dermatitis to develop.

How Employer Liability for Skin Disease Is Proven

Determining “legal fault” for a skin disease claim is not a straightforward process.

A specialist disease solicitor will be best able to advise you on the chances of proving fault and succeeding with your claim.

However, to prove fault your solicitor will rely on:

Health and safety laws

Your solicitor will check to see if your employer was complying with the general Health and Safety laws. Not to mention – the specific laws relating to the chemicals or dusts that you may be exposed to.

The material contribution test

Your employer should take proper steps to avoid you having excessive exposure to chemicals that are known to cause skin problems.

If your employer has taken precautions and dermatitis has still developed then a test in law known as the “material contribution test” can be used to help you show your employer’s responsibility.

EXAMPLE – Working In A Factory With Dust Producing Machines

For example – imagine you work in a factory that has two dust producing machines. One with a correct dust extractor fitted and one without. Your job entails using both machines. However, most of your time is spent on the machine with the correct dust filter fitted. After a period of time, you develop contact dermatitis skin disease. It is impossible for you to prove which dust from which machine caused your dermatitis.

You make a claim against your employer. Your employer argues that proper steps had been taken to limit dust emissions for the machine you used the most.

Whereas – your solicitor would argue that the dust from the second machine (that did not have a proper extractor) materially contributed to your dust exposure.

In this way your employer would not escape liability for your industrial dermatitis claim.

Failure to provide showers at work

Imagine you are a construction worker and part of your job you are required to cut bricks. You work weekend shifts and have a cabin to sleep in for the weekend provided by your employer.

It is known in the construction industry that excessive exposure to brick dust can cause dermatitis. Therefore, your employer provides you with all the correct protective equipment, but does not provide you with the use of a shower at work.

Inevitably brick dust gets onto your body. The brick dust stays on your skin until you can get home and have a shower. You develop industrial dermatitis.

It is known that fine brick dust may still penetrate PPE protection. Therefore, your employer could be found liable to pay you compensation, as you had exposure to dust both at work and after work at the weekend (until you could return home on weekdays and have a proper shower).

Can you claim compensation if you are self-employed or a contractor?

If you are a contractor or self-employed individual then you may still be able to claim compensation if you develop dermatitis from exposure at work.

You would need to show that someone (other than yourself) was responsible for your system of work and for the provision of PPE.

Speak To A Solicitor

Determining liability for skin disease claims depends on your specific circumstances. Therefore, we recommend you speak to a specialist solicitor to have your individual skin disease dermatitis claim properly assessed.

How Skin Disease, Dermatitis, and Eczema Compensation Is Calculated

We provided a table of compensation payouts at the beginning of this article. Hereinafter, we look in more detail as to how to calculate your skin disease claim payout.

Key Evidence Used to Calculate Skin Disease Compensation

Your solicitor will instruct an independent medical expert to produce a report to support your skin disease claim.

Dermatologist medical expert report

The expert chosen to produce the report will most likely be a consultant dermatologist.

This expert will have access to your medical records. including your GP and any hospital notes. and will examine you.

A medico-legal report will comment on the extent of your skin disease (whether dermatitis, eczema) and give an opinion on any long term effects.

Your injury is compared to previous claims decided at court

Your solicitor will rely on this medical report to compare with claims for similar dermatitis or eczema conditions decided by the courts in the past. Thus – your solicitor can determine a range of compensation for your specific skin disease injury.

The Expert Owes A Duty To the Court

The medical expert owes a duty to the court and is required to give an opinion based on the balance of probability.

In other words – the expert is trying to be objective and may not seem to be on your side. This is because technically the expert is using best judgement to guide the court – not to do you a favour.

Compensation Examples for Skin Disease, Dermatitis, Psoriasis, and Eczema (Solicitor‑Assessed)

There are two main types of compensation which can form part of your skin disease claim. Firstly, compensation for your financial losses / expenses (such as lost income and medical expenses). Secondly, compensation for pain and suffering for the actual physical injury that you suffer.

Our examples below are for compensation for pain and suffering for a skin disease claims (fiancial loss is in addition), include:

Temporary dermatitis, eczema or psoriasis to the hands

Contact dermatitis in the workplace which affects one or both of your hands with symptoms of rashes and itching, which last for several months only will lead to a skin disease claim settlement of between £2,100 – £4,800.

Moderate dermatitis of the hands settlements

Dermatitis of both of your hands with symptoms lasting for several years with possible permanent risk of recurrence if exposed to an irritant would attract a compensation settlement calculator of £10,500 – £14,000.

Severe dermatitis to both hands

In the worst cases of dermatitis to the hands – you will have permanent symptoms, which will include rashes, itching, dry cracked skin and psychological injury. The resultant amount of compensation for svere dermatitis to both hands will be calculated between £16,800 – £23,400.

Dermatitis and eczema to your scalp

Dermatitis or eczema that affects your scalp will result in a compensation payout calculated between £4,800 – £13,400.

Skin disease affecting your face

Skin disease will typically affect your hands. However, dermatitis or eczema affecting your face can give rise to larger compensation amounts in accordance with our facial scarring article.

Q&A And FAQ – Typical Dermatitis Skin Disease Questions

Select the question below to see our full detailed Q&A article.

When Can A Carpenter Claim For Contact Dermatitis?

Alternatively, check out our FAQs below:

How long do I have to make a skin disease claim?

What are typical symptoms of occupational dermatitis?

Can I claim industrial injuries disablement benefit for work-related dermatitis?

SUMMARY

In summary, you now have a clear picture of how much compensation different types of skin disease claims attract and how compensation payouts are influenced by severity, duration, and the body parts affected. You should now appreciate what evidence you can rely on to prove employer liability, and when you can claim if dermatitis is caused in other environments other than at work.

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